Flyknit Trainer VS Racer

If you haven’t yet heard about Nike’s Flyknit technology, get ready for a marketing onslaught in the coming months. Nike has spent the last 4 years designing and engineering a lightweight, knit upper material that fits the foot like a sock but still has the dynamic structure needed for a supportive fit.

A Closer Look

Flyknit ain’t a bunch of leftover yarns and threads from your grandma’s closet. It is precisely engineered material with varying yarn densities and knit structures that creates a featherweight, formfitting and virtually seamless upper. The material offers precise support, flexibility and breathability all in one layer.

Flyknit technology eliminates the need for overlays – the major source of added weight in a shoe’s upper. Additional weight savings are seen in the knit fabric itself, which is extremely lightweight but tested extensively to be durable over the shoe’s lifespan.

Flyknit technology will be on the feet of many elite runners this spring and summer. The Flyknit Racer was worn by several competitors at January’s Olympic Marathon Trials, including Dathan Ritzenhein and Mo Trafeh. It is likely to be the marathon shoe of choice for runners from the U.S., Kenya, Great Britain, Russia and other countries in London this summer.

An improved environmental profile comes from reduced waste and using less material when constructing the upper. Nike claims that construction of the upper only produces a few pieces of string as a waste product.

Models Using Flyknit

The following models are expected to, with additional models using Flyknit technology on the horizon. The names of the models may be changed prior to the public debut.

Flyknit Racer: The poster shoe for the collection, the Nike Flyknit Racer weighs only 5.6 oz in a Men’s size 9. To put that in perspective, it is almost 20% lighter than the Nike Zoom Streak 3.

Flyknit Trainer+: Designed as an everyday running shoe, the Nike Flyknit Trainer+ comes in at 7.7 oz. It offers a Lunarlon midsole and is designed to bring the weight and fit benefits of Nike Flyknit to runners of all levels.

There also will be a limited-edition HTM Flyknit collection, which includes an Olympic-colored Flyknit Racer (possibly called the “London Racer’) and two Trainer+ models with distinct upper designs.